If you are a South African planning on travelling outside of the country for the first time, you will need a passport from the Department of Home Affairs.
Those already dreading a visit to a Home Affairs office and standing in line for countless hours only to be told the system is offline can breathe a sigh of relief as there is another way.
Home Affairs has teamed up with several banks in South Africa to handle this process. All you need to do is apply online with all your details, show up to a bank branch with your ID, be processed by an employee, and collect the passport once it is ready.
It’s a tad more complicated than that and you will need to pay a fee of R600, but we can attest to the simplicity and speed of the entire process.
One of our staff here at Hypertext needed to acquire a new passport and, from the time they decided to get one to the document being in their hands, it was only two and a half weeks. One and a half of those weeks was waiting for the appointment at the bank, and the last week was when the actual passport was created.
Below find out steep by step process that we followed to get our passport.
Just keep in mind that systems like this – especially because they are online – are bound to change over time. This how to is being published in the second half of 2023, so if you’re reading this in the future the exact steps may be a bit different.
- Go to the eHomeAffairs website at https://ehome.dha.gov.za/ehomeaffairsv3,
- Click on “Register” in the top right corner,
- Provide your details including an email address and phone number, both of which are mandatory,
- Provide the One Time Pin (OTP) which is sent via SMS,
- Click on the link in your inbox to validate your email address,
- Once all is verified, log into the eHomeAffairs website,
- Click on “Create New Application” and choose what kind of document you. The adult passport, for example, is simply called a “Adult Tourist Passport”,
- Fill in all your details,
- Upload an image of your ID,
- Provide your banking details to pay the fee of R600,
- Log into your online banking to process the payment,
- Once the payment has been cleared you can choose a bank branch to visit,
- Choose a branch and a timeslot that is available and best suits you,
- Visit the bank branch on the selected day, at the selected time with your ID,
- The bank will make a copy of your ID, take your pictures, and record your fingerprints,
- Leave the bank and wait for an SMS and / or email confirmation that the passport is ready for collection,
- Collect the passport.
Questions and Answers (Q&A)
Q: I am having trouble reading the Captcha when registering / logging in.
A: Click on the refresh icon (the two circling arrows) to get a new Captcha.
Q: I am still having trouble reading the Captcha, or it is not appearing at all.
A: Try using a different internet browser or turning off browser extensions like ad blockers.
Q: The One Time Pin (OTP) or verification email didn’t arrive.
A: On the eHomeAffairs website you can request for either of these to be sent again, though we have experienced times where this functionality doesn’t work. When this happens try waiting a few hours or until the next day.
Q: The website states that my profile is not approved or completed. What does this mean?
A: Your profile on the eHomeAffairs website is only considered complete after your fingerprints and pictures have been captured at the bank.
Q: Which banks support this process?
At the time of writing Standard Bank, ABSA, Nedbank, FNB and Investec are supported, but only selected branches.
Q: Can I still go through a bank for my passport if I don’t bank with one of those companies?
A: Unfortunately not. You need to be a customer of one of those banks with an active account that can pay the R600 fee.
Q: I am having trouble providing the correct details for the R600 fee, or clearing it through online banking.
A: Call your bank and request assistance with this step over the phone.
Q: What documents do I need for this process.
A: Only your ID is required for both the application online and the in-person appointment at the bank. That’s it. The bank will make copies of your ID, they will take your pictures and record your fingerprints.
Q: The bank branch closest to me doesn’t have an appointment available for many days or even several weeks. What can I do?
A: You will need to travel to another branch with a more favourable timeslot opening.
Q: The online application tells me that there is a problem with the branches selected for application and collection.
A: Despite the eHomeAffairs website offering you the ability to select two different branches for application and collection, it will present an error if they are not the same. We recommend using the same branch for application and collection.
Q: After visiting the bank how long will it take before my passport is ready for collection?
A: The bank employee told us that this process takes between one and two weeks. We have heard from others that this can be much longer if you visit during the holiday period when many people are requesting passports and public holidays delay the process.
Q: Can a third party collect my passport for me once it is ready?
A: No. The passport applicant must collect the passport.
Q: Do I need an appointment to collect my passport?
A: No. Once you have received the SMS or email informing you that the passport is ready, you can visit the bank for collection. PLEASE NOTE: The banks have set hours that are available for Home Affairs matters. The office we visited stated that no appointments or collections can happen after 15:00. Call the bank to check this detail.
Q: How long is my passport valid for?
A: 10 years.
Q: I need more assistance.
A: Try calling the Home Affairs Helpline on 0800601190 or visiting www.dha.gov.za.
